Shehbaz terms incumbent government 'product of rigging'

ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on Monday alleged that the incumbent government was a "product of rigging and not the votes."

Addressing the House, the opposition leader said they had not come in the assembly to reinforce "rigged results." He said that the ones bearing the flag of a 'change' had raised false hopes.

Shehbaz, however, said that opposition parties welcome a parliamentary commission on alleged discrepancies in the last general election. He said that the opposition in light of the facts will give its maximum cooperation to the commission.

The opposition leader said that there is no second opinion about the fact that the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government was not made through genuine public mandate but through rigging.

"They said that 'we have the best team' but today we are seeing imported advisers and close friends of few everywhere," he said, in a clear reference to the appointment of Prime Minister Imran Khan's affiliates on government posts.

Shehbaz also called on the government to revert the hike in gas prices as the people of Pakistan had rejected it.

'Remarks on CPEC tantamount to enmity with Pakistan' 

The opposition leader called the statements given on the CPEC project lately by the government as 'anti-state', adding that the project is a glaring opportunity for economic progress. 

"Its a very important project for the 220 million people of Pakistan. The masses and this houses will never let CPEC be adversely affected by the disastrous policies of this government," he added. 

'Did'not expect such anti-people budget from Asad Umar'

Shehbaz said that the government increased gas prices for the middle-class segment of the society. 

"No one will disagree if the government raise the price for the rich but increase in taxes on the poor is an injustice towards their poor," he said. "We didn't expect that Finance Minister Asad Umar will bring such anti-people budget." 

The opposition leader said that the previous government made powerplants catering 5,000MW energy under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif.

The PML-N leader said that his party's government gave subsidy to millions of tube wells on energy and made agriculture sector self-sufficient. 

'The harbinger of change fooled masses'

The PML-N leader said that those who shouted slogan of change attempted to smokescreen by talking about not taking protocol and austerity measures. 

"The nation was misinformed regarding the phone call of US secretary of state. The Chinese finance minister was given an inappropriate welcome on his recent visit to Pakistan," he alleged.